Jeckyll and Hyde performance ends in victory

City returned to Perdiswell for the first time in weeks and served up a performance that was excellent in patches but still lacked cohesion.

Opponents Birmingham City Community started the brighter and looked more composed on the ball as the hosts struggled to retain possession although they did have the closest attempt on goal of the first quarter when a free-kick from centre field was met with a flicked header by Jamie Neath that just cleared the crossbar.

The game burst into life in Q2 when the visitors went very close to taking the lead after an excellent cross field pass saw their pacey right midfielder burst to the byline. He crossed to the far post where his team-mate unleashed a dipping half-volley that brought an outstanding save from Josh Reed-Jones, who tipped over.

At the other end, the Birmingham keeper then made a great stop of his own as he foiled Harry Rebbeck with his legs after a superb Billy Owen delivery across the box.

Reed-Jones did very well to force an onrushing opponent wide enough that he was only able to shoot into the side-netting before City skipper Cian Sheehan fired over from distance as the match ebbed and flowed.

However the fixture swung firmly in City's favour after a moment of brilliance from Guy Collett, who turned into space 25 yards out and smashed an unstoppable drive into the roof of the net.

The visitors threatened again down the right but the hosts scrambled away before the dangerous Owen delivered another delicious ball into the danger area that just eluded Alex Farquer.

It wasn't long before City extended their lead though as captain Sheehan slotted an inch-perfect pass through the Brum defence to Neath, who coolly slotted home.

The hosts were now dominant and playing their best football of the match with neat passing to the fore as demonstrated by their third goal when they played out from the back through midfield to Owen, who advanced and drilled a low shot into the bottom corner.

But just as it looked like more goals would follow, City were hit by a sucker-punch out of nothing when, within seconds of a drop ball in the opposing half, the ball found its way into their own net.

The home side composed themselves and nearly regained their two-goal lead via Neath. Firstly the striker did well to seize on a backpass but could only hit the angle after being forced wide before Owen set him up only for his effort from close range to come back off the post.

Birmingham forced several corners - all of which were delivered into the danger area but superbly dealt with by Reed-Jones - one apart which he dropped but managed to claw away as the visitors claimed it had crossed the line.

In the aftermath, Brum were reduced to 10 men with a yellow card for dissent but kept fighting to the end and were rewarded with a second goal right at the death as City appealed for offside.

City will be looking for more consistency in their play in their upcoming fixtures but can be pleased with their first double of the season for City after their 4-3 win in Birmingham at the end of September.